Step Back
by Klutzygirl33
Summary: Spoilers up to "Quite A Common Fairy". Once Philip realizes something is going on between Aurora and Mulan, he steps back so they can be together. Aurora/Mulan


**I don't own Once Upon A Time and never will. No copyright infringement intended.**

_Warning_: Semi-graphic childbirth.

* * *

Philip first realized something was amiss after Mulan left (and that should have been his first clue, because she seemed happy before) was that Aurora wouldn't stop talking about her. "I think Mulan would adore this, don't you think?" Aurora questioned.

He stared at his girlfriend. "I don't know. You miss her, don't you?"

She nodded. "We became close friends when we were on our journey with Snow White and her daughter and then trying to find you. I wish she was around to help us with this pregnancy."

Deep down, Philip thought he might know what was going on, but he wasn't entirely sure yet. However, he did know a way to resolve this. "Why don't you invite her to come visit us? That way you can catch up and tell her all the things you want to about the baby."

Her smile was dazzling. "I am grateful you said that. Thank you, Philip. I know a way to contact her so I'll do so immediately." Aurora walked away beaming and that feeling bubbled to the surface for him again. He ignored it.

When Mulan arrived a few days later, the look on her face when she saw Aurora was pure happiness. But she also radiated _love _and Philip wasn't sure he could ignore that any longer. But he waited it out to see if Aurora felt the same way. He wanted to see their interactions now that he was looking at their relationship in a different light. They did not disappoint not surprise him.

"I'm showing now. Do you wish to see or touch?" Aurora looked at Mulan, hoping she'd say yes.

Mulan looked nervous, but accepted. She touched Aurora's stomach, which wasn't flat anymore. On same basic level, she knew that, but knowing and seeing (touching) were two completely different things. "This is amazing," she whispered in awe.

Aurora giggled. "Isn't it? I am so glad that I no longer am suffering from morning sickness – it is misnamed in case you were wondering – and I feel much better."

"I am glad." Mulan suddenly pulled her hand away as if she had been burned and patted Aurora's shoulder. She grinned at her and then went to go sit down.

Philip was absolutely convinced of his theory now. Aurora refused to let him – or anyone else - touch her stomach (she claimed to feel uncomfortable about it) but she had allowed Mulan to do so. He knew Aurora loved him, but she clearly loved Mulan, too.

The fact that they were both women wasn't an issue. There were many relationships in the various worlds between two men or two women. True love existed in any form and that was that.

After thinking it over for a while, Philip reached a decision. He loved Aurora, but he wasn't going to stand in her or Mulan's way. He wanted the woman he loved to be happy, even if it wasn't with him. And the three of them could raise the child together. They could all be friends and this didn't have to ruin them.

Aurora was asleep – a side effect of the pregnancy was that she was exhausted all the time and took a lot of naps – when he approached Mulan to talk to her.

"Hello, Philip." She kept a close eye on Aurora, which definitely did not escape his notice.

"I would like to talk to you."

Mulan panicked and he saw it. "What about?" She hoped he hadn't figured her out. She'd leave forever if he had and never bother them again. She didn't want to face the humiliation.

"I know," he told her in a soothing tone.

"Know what?" She played dumb and wished she hadn't been so obvious. Why had she fucked it up this badly? Why couldn't she have just hidden her feelings like before? It had worked.

He laughed. "Don't do that, Mulan. You're in love with Aurora. It's okay."

Mulan glared at him. "It is not okay, especially since you know. If you do, then she does! I should not have been so obvious about how I feel. I should leave."

"Don't go anywhere. It's fine. Mulan, I don't care. I love her, but I want Aurora to be happy. And you make her happy."

Mulan stared at him in confusion, unsure of where this conversation was heading. "What are you saying to me?"

"I'm saying that I am stepping back. If Aurora doesn't feel the same way about me, that is all right. It does hurt, but I can deal with that. You make her happy."

She sighed. "Aurora doesn't love me – she loves you. I know that for a fact. And you're having a child together! I cannot come between you two. I won't do it."

Philip rolled his eyes. "Will you stop being so stubborn? I know you. We were together for twenty-eight years, remember? Don't lie to me. And I know Aurora, too. We can be apart and raise this child together, the three of us. Besides, we aren't married so there's no need to formally end anything."

Mulan shook her head. "I will leave in the morning and never bother you again. I shouldn't have come in the first place."

So he wasn't going to get through to Mulan. That was okay – Philip would just have to talk to Aurora (even though she was definitely in denial of her feelings) and get through to her. Hopefully, it wouldn't be too hard.

Philip took his chance later that night when Mulan was asleep and Aurora was wide awake (for the time being, anyway). "Are you glad Mulan came back to visit you?" he questioned.

Aurora grinned from ear to ear again and nodded. "Yes, I am. I missed her with every fiber of my being. I hope she's around for the baby's birth. I want her there."

And that solidified it in his mind. "I want you to listen to me, Aurora. First and foremost, I want you to know that I'm not upset or sad. I just want you to be happy."

She cocked her hand and stared at her. "What are you saying to me?"

Philip took a deep breath. "You're in love with Mulan."

Her eyes widened. "What?"

He laughed despite himself because of the look on her face. "Aurora, it's obvious to anyone who's spent more than five minutes with you two. You love her and she clearly loves you. You two deserve to be happy."

Aurora sputtered. "But I love you. And what about the baby? Philip, think about what you are telling me."

"I have thought about it," he assured her.

"And you still believe this is a good idea?" She was in shock and honestly couldn't believe it.

"Yes, I do. You should be with the woman you love. And like I told Mulan, we can raise the baby together, as friends. I'll find someone to love again." He had spent twenty-eight years looking for Aurora, but that didn't matter. He could move on.

She sat there for an hour or so and thought about what Philip told her. She loved him, yes, but what she felt for Mulan was different. Something had changed between them on their journey to get Philip back. Holy shit, she was in love with her best friend. Aurora was glad Philip had awakened her to the truth because she probably never would have realized on her own.

So the next morning, after she slept, Aurora went to see her boyfriend. "You were right."

Philip pulled her in for a hug. "I'm glad you admitted it. I love you – I always will – and our child means the world to me. But go to Mulan immediately and tell her how you feel. Good luck."

"You are a good man, Philip. I hope you find a wonderful woman soon." She took off to the area where Mulan was packing up her items.

"Hey, what are you doing?" Mulan prayed Philip hadn't talked to her and ruined their friendship. She wouldn't be able to handle that.

"Philip opened my eyes to something that was right in front of my face – You."

Mulan coughed. So he had said something. She was going to kill him. "Me?"

"Yes, you. I am in love with you, Mulan."

Mulan couldn't help it – She gaped at Aurora. "You're in love with me?"

"Yes I am."

Mulan laughed in excitement and happiness. "I'm in love with you, too." She leaned over and kissed Aurora. The kiss felt nice to them both and they only pulled away when Philip interrupted them.

"I'm happy for you both. I'm just going to go. I'll visit any time I can."

"Thank you for everything that you've done." Aurora hugged him and the two women waved goodbye as he took off.

And so Aurora and Mulan settled into their new life together. It wasn't easy at first, but they eventually got the hang of their new relationship.

The baby quickening was one of the most exhilarating experiences of Aurora's life and she immediately put Mulan's hand on her stomach.

"Trying to sleep," Mulan murmured.

"The baby is moving!"

Her eyes opened at her. "You can feel the baby moving now?"

Aurora nodded. "Try and feel it."

Much to their disappointment, only Aurora could feel the baby kicking for now. But neither could wait until Mulan could experience it either.

By the time Aurora reached her seventh month of pregnancy, she was more exhausted than ever and miserable. She couldn't wait until the baby was born. Fortunately for her, Mulan was a very patient and comforting girlfriend. She appreciated that fact very much and told her so multiple times.

"My feet are swollen at a length I didn't even realize could happen," she complained.

Mulan had heard this complaint multiple times and was sick of it, but she didn't care. She was determined to take care of her girlfriend as best as she could. "Give me your feet," she ordered.

Aurora smiled and put her feet up so Mulan could massage them. She definitely felt better after this was done (at least for a little while).

Aurora and Mulan took great delight in the nursery Philip built for the baby. It was finished only days before Aurora went into labor. He was out gathering supplies and looking for more food when it happened.

Aurora was walking around outside trying to get comfortable when a sharp pain rippled across her stomach. "Whoa."

Mulan was right by her side. "What is it, love? Are you okay?"

"I'm not entirely sure, but I think I may be in labor," she admitted. Aurora was ready for this pregnancy to be over. It had been a long nine months. She was glad – barring magical reasons anyway – that she didn't have to worry about going through this again with Mulan.

Mulan flagged down one of the Merry Men and ordered him to go get Philip. She'd rather be safe than sorry. "Okay, let's sit down then."

"I don't need to sit down." But about five minutes later, she cried out in pain and gripped Mulan's hand with a strength neither knew she had.

The labor progressed pretty quickly after that, surprising both of them. Philip still wasn't back yet, so Mulan resigned herself to the fact that she had to do this on her own.

Aurora groaned in pain as yet another contraction rose up. "I have to push now, Mulan. I have to."

Mulan patted her thigh. "Go ahead, love. I'm right here. Push!"

Aurora bore down on the next contraction and pushed. "Fuck!" she screamed.

Mulan laughed – Aurora never swore and it was actually a little hilarious. "You got this. You're strong. You can do this."

"Shut up." The pain flared up again so Aurora bore down once more and pushed again. "I don't want to be in this position anymore."

"Okay, we can move you." Mulan moved her around a few times before Aurora was in the squatting position.

When the baby began crowing, Aurora let out a sob and cursed Philip for getting her in this position in the first place. She was relieved when the baby exited her body. She sat down. "What is it?" she questioned as Mulan cut the cord.

"It's a little boy. He's beautiful." Mulan kissed Aurora's forehead and handed the baby over.

But something wasn't quite right. The pain was building up again. Aurora scrunched her face up before realization hit. "I think there's another baby! Gotta push."

Mulan quickly took the baby away and set him down. She was surprised, but Aurora had been pretty big. She figured it was because this was her first pregnancy. "Go ahead."

After a few more pushes, the little boy was joined by a sister only ten minutes younger than him. Aurora was grateful there wasn't another surprise baby in there and told Mulan so. "They're both amazing. I can't believe they caused me this much pain." Aurora was glad they had one of each now.

Philip frantically rode up in a horse in less than ten minutes. Mulan went to greet him with the little girl. "Come on, let's go see Aurora. She did perfectly."

Philip stared in awe at his daughter and then was given a further shock when he saw Aurora holding the other baby. "Surprise!" Mulan told him, laughing.

"Two of them?"

"Two of them," Aurora confirmed.

The three of them named the twins together – the boy was named Elijah Philip and his sister was named Penelope Moira.

Three months later, Aurora and Mulan were taking the babies for a walk to settle them down when they stumbled across Emma, Snow, and David.

"Aw, congratulations, Aurora."

"Have you come back?" Mulan asked.

Snow shook her head. "We're still living in Storybrooke, but a spell backfired and we're here temporarily. Regina's working to get us back. It's nice to stumble upon you two. Where's Philip?"

"He's off getting us dinner for today. Would you like to hold one of them?" Aurora could see Snow eying the twins and stifled a laugh.

Snow nodded. "I need my baby fix." She happily took Penelope off of Aurora and cuddled up with the baby.

"I need to go check on something. You'll be okay when I'm gone, love?" Mulan smiled at Aurora and kissed her on the way out.

Emma's mouth actually dropped open before she recovered. "Wait, why am I surprised? I saw this coming when we were all together."

"Are you and Philip no longer together?" Snow wasn't surprised either and she was happy they had found one another.

Aurora nodded. "He wanted me to be happy and realized I was in love with Mulan. I'm so thankful every day that he realized that before I did. So the three of us are these kids' parents. It works for us."

"I'm glad it does."

The three of them were gone and back to Storybrooke only a few hours later.

Mulan and Aurora had found their happy ending and they weren't about to give it up for anything. This was their happily ever after and they weren't going to waste it. And Philip eventually fell in love with someone else, a woman that they all liked.

Mulan was glad she had joined up with Robin Hood and his Merry Men because it had all worked out in her favor in the end. With the woman she loved and their children at her side, she could do anything she wanted. Aurora felt the exact same way and was forever grateful to Philip for putting them on this path.

All three of them were appreciative of the fact that everything had worked out in the end.


End file.
